PAM. 

8EKM. 


REV.  DR.  STORRS’S  DISCOURSE 

BEFORE  THE 

PALESTINE  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY, 

JUNE  17,  1840. 


i<Clje  Conberjeiton  of  tlje  IDorlb 


A ’ 

DISCOURSE, 

DELIVERED  AT  THE  AXJUVERSART  OF  THE 


PALESTINE 

MISSIONARY  SOCIETY, 

AT 

ABINGTON,  SOUTH  PARISH 

June  17,  1810. 

BY  RICHARD  S.  STORRS,  D.  D. 

PASTOR  OF  THE  FIRST  CHURCH,  BRAINTREE. 


BOSTON: 

PRINTED  BY  PERKINS  & MARVIN 
1 8 4 0. 


#* 


DISCOURSE. 


Psalm  XXII.  27. 

ALL  THE  ENDS  OF  THE  WORLD  SHALL  REMEMBER  AND  TURN  UNTO  THE  LORD; 

AND  ALL  THE  KINDREDS  OF  THE  NATIONS  SHALL  WORSHIP 
BEFORE  THEE. 

We  are  assembled,  Brethren,  in  obedience  to  the  call 
of  duty,  and  of  Heaven: — not  to  inquire,  “Who  will 
show  us  any  good,”  but  “ Lord ! what  wilt  thou  have  us 
to  do  ? ” — not  to  propose  some  novel  object  of  united 
effort,  but  to  pursue  an  object  proposed  in  the  councils 
of  eternity ; not  to  devise  new  measures  for  the  attain- 
ment of  noble  ends,  but  to  follow  out  measures  sanctioned 
by  philosophy,  tested  by  experience,  and  approved  by 
Heaven. 

And,  an  object  of  superior  grandeur  comes  not  within 
the  range  of  human,  nor  even  angelic  vision.  It  is  justly 
remarked  by  one,  that  “ in  the  whole  compass  of  human 
benevolence,  there  is  nothing  so  grand,  so  noble,  so  Chris- 
tian, so  truly  godlike,  as  the  work  of  evangelizing  the 
world.”  The  commission  given  by  the  ascending  Re- 
deemer to  his  disciples,  verifies  the  remark.  The  occu- 
pation of  angels,  as  ministering  spirits  to  the  heirs  of 
salvation,  and  their  joys  over  every  repenting  sinner, 
confirm  it.  All  other  enterprises  take  hold  on  time,  while 
this  grasps  eternity.  Earthly  kingdoms  rise,  only  that 
they  may  fall  again.  Wealth  accumulates,  and  honors 
multiply,  only  to  vanish  like  the  dew  of  the  morning. 
Wisdom  and  learning,  courage  and  virtue,  patriotism  and 


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philanthropy  may  brilliantly  illumine  for  a season  the 
limited  expanse  contemplated  by  the  eye  of  sense,  but 
soon,  they  go  out  in  obscure  darkness.  Yet  there  is  a 
kingdom  that  shall  never  perish  — a wealth  that  shall 
never  take  wing  — and  a glory  that  shall  never  fade. 
And,  to  spread  the  benign  influences  of  this  kingdom 
over  the  world,  and  make  all  men  partakers  of  enduring 
riches  and  unfading  honors,  is  the  object  of  our  enterprise. 

The  world  shall  be  converted  to  God.  This  is  the 
grand  event  predicted  in  the  text. 

Permit  me  then  to  direct  your  attention, 

I.  To  the  certainty  of  the  event. 

1 1 .  To  the  means  of  its  accomplishment ; and 

III.  To  some  motives  for  persevering  effort. 

I.  The  certainty  of  the  event. 

On  this  point,  there  is  a manifest  incredulity  abroad. 
Nor  is  that  incredulity  confined  to  unbelievers  in  God’s 
testimony.  It  pervades  but  too  evidently  the  bosom  of 
the  church.  Were  it  firmly  believed , that  “ all  the  ends 
of  the  world  shall  remember  and  turn  unto  the  Lord,” 
and  that  “ all  the  kindreds  of  the  nations  shall  worship 
before  him,”  it  is  not  possible  that  the  slumbers  of  Chris- 
tendom should  continue  another  day.  Man  acts,  in  all 
his  generations,  according  to  his  faith. 

“ It  is  impossible  to  convert  a Hindoo  to  the  Christian 
faith,”  said  an  American  military  officer,  on  his  return 
from  several  years’  residence  in  India — “it  is  impossible /” 
and,  were  the  sentiment  confined  to  the  bosoms  of  military 
men,  as  yet  unlearned  in  the  school  of  Christ,  it  would 
not  surprise  us,  because  we  know,  that  things  impossible 
with  men , are  possible  with  God.  But  unhappily,  it  is 
not  so  confined. 

And  when  we  reflect  on  the  past  and  present  condition 
of  the  world,  apart  from  the  testimony  of  God  respecting 


its  future  character,  and  mark,  how  darkness  has  pre- 
dominated over  light,  and  evil  over  good,  amid  the  chaotic 
confusion  of  human  principles  and  passions;  — how  fraud 
and  treachery,  violence  and  blood,  have  triumphed  over 
order  and  regard  to  human  happiness,  from  the  days  of 
Cain  downward;  — how  natural  and  instinctive  atfections 
have  given  way  to  brutal  lust  and  cruelty,  regardless  of 
every  social  and  moral  tie  that  binds  the  husband  to  the 
wife,  the  parent  to  the  child,  the  brother  to  the  sister,  and 
the  neighbor  to  his  friend;  — how  vice  luxuriates,  and 
crime  exults  in  the  impunity  enjoyed  under  the  broad 
shield  of  universal  corruption,  where 

“ Crime  no  more 

Is  criminal ; and  guilt  is  more  than  guiltless  ; ” 

how  utterly  the  authority  of  Jehovah  is  discarded,  not- 
withstanding the  law  written  on  every  human  heart,  and 
woven  into  the  very  texture  of  the  soul;  — how  readily, 
when,  loosed  from  his  moorings  amid  the  revelations  of 
God,  man  beholds  and  adores  an  incarnation  of  the  Deity, 
in  the  sun  and  all  the  shining  hosts  of  heaven,  and  even 
in  the  stream  that  slakes  his  thirst,  in  the  vegetable  that 
satisfies  his  hunger,  in  the  animal  that  aids  his  labor,  in 
the  leaf  that  trembles  in  the  breeze,  and  the  vermin  that 
infest  his  habitation;  — how  he  yields  his  faith  to  the 
vain  dreamings  of  the  Shasters,  or  the  idle  vaticinations 
of  lying  prophets,  and,  darting  his  eye  along  the  dark 
vista  of  futurity,  without  catching  one  ray  of  heavenly 
light,  throws  himself  for  salvation  into  the  arms  of  men 
impotent  and  mendacious  as  himself;  — I say,  when  we 
mark  such  facts  in  the  history  of  man  from  the  beginning, 
and  of  nations  now  occupying  more  than  three  quarters 
of  the  globe,  we  cannot  wonder  at  the  incredulity  of  men, 
who  have  not  felt  in  their  own  souls  the  working  of 
“ that  exceeding  greatness  of  power  that  wrought  in 
Christ  and  raised  him  from  the  dead.”  And,  when  we 


6 


take  the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  of  experience 
too,  to  the  fact  that  “ man’s  heart  is  evil,  only  evil  and 
that  continually,”  we  cannot  wonder , though  we  must 
lament,  that  Christians  themselves,  through  remaining 
blindness  of  mind  and  hardness  of  heart,  yield  in  some 
measure  to  the  same  incredulity. 

But,  the  testimony  of  God  is  full  and  decisive.  “ The 
kingdom,  and  the  dominion,  and  the  greatness  of  the 
kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven,  shall  be  given  to  the 
people  of  the  saints  of  the  Most  High.”  “All  kings 
shall  fall  down  before  Him,”  i.  e.  Christ,  “and  all  nations 
shall  serve  him.”  “ The  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  shall 
come  in,  and  all  Israel  shall  be  saved.”  “ The  world 
shall  be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord.” 

Promises  like  these  are  found  on  almost  every  page 
of  the  Bible.  Nor  are  they  of  doubtful  interpretation. 
Prominent  and  clear  in  their  annunciation,  their  fulfilment 
is  as  certain,  as  the  continued  reign  of  Jehovah.  Pure 
Christianity  shall  yet  be  universally  diffused  over  the 
nations.  Ploliness  shall  be  honored.  Knowledge  shall 
increase.  Love  shall  succeed  to  hatred.  Peace  shall 
extend  her  olive  branch  over  the  world.  Kings  shall 
become  nursing  fathers,  and  queens  nursing  mothers  to 
the  church.  Beasts  of  prey  shall  lose  their  savageness, 
and  the  wolf  shall  dwell  with  the  lamb,  and  the  leopard 
shall  lie  down  with  the  kid ; the  sucking  child  shall  play 
on  the  hole  of  the  asp,  and  the  weaned  child  shall  put  his 
hand  on  the  cockatrice  den,  nor  shall  they  hurt  or  destroy 
in  all  the  holy  mountain. 

Even  now,  the  forerunners  of  that  glorious  day  are 
upon  us.  We  perceive  them  in  the  progressive  improve- 
ments of  the  arts  and  sciences  — in  the  extending  facilities 
of  intercommunication  between  all  portions  of  the  earth 
— in  the  advancing  enlightenment  of  the  mass  of  human 
mind,  and  in  the  awakened  spirit  of  enterprise,  that  aims 
directly  at  the  eradication  of  corrupt  principles  in  civil 


7 


governments,  the  overthrow  of  pernicious  superstitions, 
and  the  reformation  of  society  from  customs  and  practices, 
which  entail  on  whole  nations  wretchedness  and  wo.  All 
the  passing  events  of  Divine  Providence  look  with  steady 
eye  to  that  point  in  the  world’s  history,  when,  from  the 
least  to  the  greatest,  all  men  shall  know  the  Lord. 

II.  The  means  of  its  accomplishment. 

The  processes  of  Nature  in  the  production  of  her  fruits 
and  the  unfolding  of  her  beauties,  are  not  more  fixed  than 
those,  determined  by  God’s  wisdom,  for  the  conversion  of 
the  world ; and  they  are  far  less  plain,  and  far  more  beyond 
man’s  reach. 

1.  The  gospel  must  be  preached  to  all  nations. 

As  hymning  angels  once  hovered  over  the  plains  of 
Bethlehem,  swelling  the  note  of  “ Glory  to  God  in  the 
highest,”  so  must  ambassadors  for  God  traverse  the  length 
and  breadth  of  the  wide  fields  of  paganism,  proclaiming, 
“ Peace  on  earth  and  good  will  to  men,”  till  the  echo 
bounding  from  every  hill,  shall  carry  joy  and  gladness 
through  every  land.  The  wondrous  plan  of  salvation 
must  be  unfolded  in  its  origin  and  object,  in  its  grand 
principles  and  minuter  details ; and  the  authority  that 
urges  its  acceptance  must  be  pressed  on  the  conscience, 
with  all  the  tenderness  of  the  holiest  affection,  and  the 
earnestness  of  the  deepest  solicitude. 

Is  not  the  Gospel  the  power  of  God  and  the  wisdom  of 
God  unto  salvation  ? And,  is  it  not  by  the  foolishness  of 
preaching  that  men  are  made  to  believe — whether  it  find 
them  sitting  within  the  gates  of  Zion,  or  at  the  threshold 
of  an  idol’s  temple  ? But,  the  Gospel  includes  the  whole 
revelation  of  God's  mind,  in  regard  to  the  redemption  of 
the  world  ; nor  can  it  be  preached  effectively,  while  any 
part  of  the  revealed  counsel  of  God  is  held  back.  The 
existence  and  attributes  of  Jehovah — his  absolute  sove- 
reignty over  all  his  creatures — the  just  claims  and  un- 


8 


mitigated  penalties  of  his  violated  law,  and  man’s  entire 
ruin  and  helplessness,  are  the  preliminary  doctrines,  to  be 
settled  in  every  human  mind,  by  one  instrumentality  or 
another,  before  the  preacher  can  expatiate  with  success 
on  the  unsearchable  riches  of  grace,  and  the  unparalleled 
love,  of  the  world’s  Redeemer.  “ Christ  and  him  cruci- 
fied,” is  indeed  that  luminous  truth,  hung  out  from 
heaven,  which  melts  the  iceberg,  and  dissolves  the  ad- 
amant of  man’s  heart ; but  then,  it  must  be  exhibited  in 
all  the  amplitude  and  directness  of  its  bearings  on  the 
government  of  God,  and  the  character  of  man,  ere  it  will 
prove  efficient  in  bringing  back  the  soul  to  purity  and 
love.  It  is  not  itself  the  arch  that  spans  the  abyss  be- 
tween earth  and  heaven,  but  the  keystone  of  that  arch. 
The  fact,  that  Christ  has  died  for  sinners,  ratifies  the 
treaty  of  reconciliation  into  which  Heaven  has  entered 
with  guilty  man,  and  even  forms  the  basis  of  that  treaty ; 
but  man’s  acceptance  of  the  terms  depends  on  his  knowl- 
edge of  the  existing  relations  he  bears  to  God,  as  a rebel, 
and  his  desert  of  the  punishment  threatened  him  by  the 
law.  Till  by  the  law,  he  has  the  knowledge  of  sin, 
in  vain  is  he  pointed  to  the  agony  of  the  garden,  and  the 
passion  of  the  cross,  for  motives  to  repentance. 

2.  The  Bible  must  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  all  men. 
It  is  heaven’s  statute  book.  It  bears  upon  it  the  indelible 
imprint  of  its  divine  origin.  The  truths  it  reveals,  the 
duties  it  enjoins,  the  spirit  it  breathes,  the  rewards  it 
proposes,  and  the  punishments  it  threatens,  all  serve  to 
elucidate  its  design,  and  establish  its  claims.  It  is  the 
grand  arbiter  in  the  controversy  between  God  and  man — 
or,  the  ultimate  tribunal  to  which  every  question  of  faith 
and  practice  must  be  referred.  “ To  the  law  and  the 
testimony,”  saith  reason,  and  Gon. 

But  that  the  Bible  may  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  all 
men,  it  must  be  translated  into  their  various  languages. 
It  speaks  not  to  the  heart , in  an  unknown  tongue.  It 


9 


conveys  life  and  salvation,  only  to  those  who  understand 
its  annunciations;  and  they  are  understood  only  by  those 
to  whom  their  language  is  familiar.  The  Christian  fathers 
of  the  second  century,  so  justly  appreciated  this  fact,  that 
they  put  the  Bible  into  the  language  of  the  Roman 
empire ; and  soon  afterwards  it  passed  into  the  widely 
spoken  Syriac,  Ethiopic  and  Egyptian  languages,  and 
was  relied  upon,  by  the  early  Christians,  as  indispensable 
to  the  success  of  other  instrumentalities  in  the  conversion 
of  the  world.  The  neglect  of  the  Bible,  and  inattention 
to  its  wide  diffusion  in  the  vernacular  tongues  of  the 
nations,  introduced  those  days  of  darkness,  wherein  the 
Man  of  sin  arose.  Ignorance,  superstition,  and  licentious- 
ness then  triumphed  within  the  walls  of  Zion.  He, 
whose  “coming  was  after  the  working  of  Satan,”  so 
effectually  wrested  the  Scriptures  from  the  hands  of  men, 
that  as  late  as  the  sixteenth  century,  the  celebrated 
Xavier,  could  find  but  a fragment  of  the  New  Testament 
to  carry  with  him  on  his  mission  to  India ; and  that  he 
took,  rather  to  try  the  experiment,  whether  “ it  might  be 
of  use  in  his  missionary  labors,”  than  in  the  expectation 
that  it  would  prove  the  wisdom  of  God  and  the  power  of 
God,  unto  salvation. 

No  longer  is  the  value  of  the  Bible  on  missionary 
ground,  problematical.  In  relation  to  the  sacred  books 
of  the  heathen  world,  it  is  like  the  rod  of  Aaron  among 
the  rods  of  the  magicians  of  Egypt.  In  relation  to  the 
idolatries  of  Paganism,  it  is  like  the  sharp  sword,  with 
two  edges,  coming  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  Son  of  man ; 
and  over  the  wide  regions  of  moral  desolation,  it  pours 
the  water  of  life,  clear  as  crystal,  like  that  proceeding 
from  the  throne  of  God.  And  the  fact,  that  this  holy 
book  now  declares  the  wonderful  works  of  the  Lord  in 
two  hundred  languages,  and  goes  forth  at  the  head  of  the 
armies  of  God,  to  the  peaceful  conquest  of  the  nations,  is 
among  the  most  cheering  signs  of  the  times.  “ The 
2 


10 


victories  of  the  cross  in  Corinth  and  Rome,  in  Ephesus 
and  Athens,  are  all  to  be  repeated  ; ” and  the  histories  of 
Moses,  the  prophecies  of  Isaiah,  the  songs  of  David,  the 
epistles  of  Paul,  and  the  authoritative  words  of  Christ, 
“are  to  be  read  and  listened  to,  in  Ava  and  Pekin,  in 
Ispahan  and  Timbuctoo,  with  all  the  spirit-stirring  effect 
of  their  original  delivery.” 

3.  Education  must  be  diffused.  Otherwise,  the  Bible 
remains  a sealed  book  forever,  to  successive  hundreds  of 
millions,  and  the  words  of  the  living  preacher  fall  like 
water  on  the  ground. 

The  inertness  of  the  heathen  mind,  — owing  to  the 
absence  of  early  culture  and  vigorous  discipline,  and  the 
debasement  occasioned  by  familiarity  with  idolatrous  rites 
and  ceremonies,  and  the  indulgence  of  unbridled  lusts, — 
forms  the  most  powerful  of  obstacles  to  missionary  success. 
Enveloped  in  thickest  ignorance,  truth  cannot  reach  it. 
Enervated  by  the  most  grovelling  sensuality,  motive 
cannot  rouse  it.  And  walled  around  by  immemorial 
customs  and  inveterate  prejudices,  it  bids  defiance  to 
argument.  Till  this  ignorance  is  dispelled,  and  this 
imbecility  removed,  and  this  wall  of  prejudice,  firmer 
than  the  walls  of  ancient  Babylon,  be  broken  down,  never 
can  the  gospel  have  free  course,  run,  and  be  glorified. 

And  how  is  this  to  be  accomplished,  except  by  the 
same  instrumentalities  that  have  been  found  successful 
in  Christian  lands?  Our  pilgrim  fathers  were  not  more 
holy  men,  than  wise.  No  sooner  had  they  reared  the 
sanctuary,  than  they  laid  the  foundations  of  the  school- 
house  and  the  college.  They  obeyed  the  dictates  of 
prudence.  Posterity  approve  their  doings.  And  yet,  we 
hear  it  sometimes  objected,  that  schools  on  heathen  ground 
belong  not  to  the  province  of  the  missionary — and  that 
funds  are  misapplied,  when  appropriated  to  their  support. 
Mistaken  apprehension  ! It  is  enough  to  say,  that  as 
auxiliaries  to  missionary  success,  they  are  indispensable. 


11 


Scarcely  an  axiom  in  mathematics  is  more  unquestionable. 
When  the  emperor  Julian,  the  wily  apostate  from  the 
Christian  faith,  in  his  zeal  for  the  extirpation  of  Chris- 
tianity, looked  about  him  for  means  to  etfect  his  object, 
his  eye  first  caught  the  Christian  schools,  and  he  shut 
them  up  : dooming  the  church  to  ignorance  and  barbarism, 
he  well  knew  that  her  energies  would  be  crippled,  and 
her  destruction  sealed.  But  when  the  intrepid  Colom- 
banus,  in  the  sixth  century,  sought  the  conversion  of 
Scotland  and  Ireland,  not  content  with  preaching  the 
gospel,  he  established  a mission  seminary  at  Icolmkill, 
and  for  thirty  years  gave  it  his  personal  superintendence  ; 
and  by  putting  into  operation  subordinate  schools  in  con- 
nection with  it,  he  subdued  the  prejudices  and  won  the 
affections  of  the  mass  of  the  people,  and  laid  the  founda- 
tions of  that  learning  and  piety  which  have  distinguished 
the  northern  portion  of  the  British  isles,  down  to  the 
present  day.  And,  whence  comes  it  that  the  rising 
generation  of  India  are  losing  their  confidence  in  the 
religious  systems  of  their  fathers — that  enthusiasm  for  the 
national  faith  is  dying  away  — that  the  ancient  veneration 
for  the  Bramins  is  lost,  and  the  distinctive  badge  of  their 
sacred  office  thrown  derisively  over  the  shoulders  of  sea- 
poys  and  market  men,  mechanics  and  doorkeepers  ? — not 
that  they  have  yet  become  truly  converted  to  God,  but 
that  the  silent  influence  of  missionary  and  governmental 
schools,  has  unsettled  the  foundations  of  their  faith,  leaving 
them  open  to  holier  influences,  whenever  the  Spirit  shall 
be  poured  out  from  on  high,  as  upon  the  Islands  of  the 
Southern  Pacific. 

But , where  there  are  schools  and  colleges,  hooks  must 
be  provided — the  press  must  be  established,  and  leaves 
for  the  healing  of  the  nations  scattered  abroad,  in  un- 
stinted measure.  Education  must  become  universal ; an 
unlimited  demand  for  intellectual  aliment  must  be  created  ; 
a demand  that  can  now  be  met,  by  the  wonderful  facility 


12 


with  which  the  press  multiplies  copies  of  the  richest  pro- 
ductions of  the  human  mind. 

Throughout  the  Pagan  world,  the  true  principles  of 
science  are  unknown.  Boodhism,  prevailing  more  ex- 
tensively than  any  other  form  of  religion,  recognizes  no 
permanent  God,  and  proposes  annihilation  as  the  highest 
happiness  of  man.  Other  kindred  systems  of  natural 
theology  are  equally  dark  and  cheerless,  nor  less  replete 
with  the  absurdities  ever  found  amid  the  fabrications  of 
boasted  reason.  Nor  is  the  cosmogony  of  Paganism,  less 
absurd  than  its  theology.  Of  the  true  theory  of  the  earth 
or  the  heavens,  its  devotee  knows  nothing ; while  he 
adopts  the  wildest  fancies,  and  holds  them  with  unyield- 
ing grasp,  as  if  they  were  the  pillars  of  heaven.  And 
of  the  intellectual  and  moral  powers  of  man  — of  his 
duties  to  himself  and  others — of  the  doctrines  of  political 
science  — of  the  theory  of  governments,  and  of  inter- 
national law,  the  Pagan  is  every  where  ignorant.  In 
each  of  the  three  grand  divisions  of  science  — natural 
theology,  natural  philosophy,  and  the  philosophy  of  man  — 
the  human  mind,  untaught  by  Christianity,  is  but  in 
embryo  — it  knows  nothing.  Yet  false  principles  of 
science,  interwoven  as  they  are  with  idolatry,  are  no 
sooner  abandoned,  than  idolatry  itself  falls  to  the  ground. 
“ If  the  Hindoo,  e.  g.  admit  our  chronology,  history,  or 
geography,  he  can  no  longer  believe  the  chronological 
and  other  doctrines  of  the  Poorans ; and  if  he  believe 
these  books  to  be  false  in  so  many  points,  he  can  scarcely 
believe  them  to  be  true  in  matters  of  religious  belief.” 
Hence,  the  tendency  of  true  science  to  the  overthrow  of 
idolatry  ; though  powerless  in  itself,  as  Samson’s  jaw  bone 
of  the  ass,  in  the  hand  of  the  infant ; yet  wielded  by  the 
Christian  missionary,  under  the  direction  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
it  whelms  in  a common  ruin,  the  strong  foundations  and 
towering  superstructures  of  Paganism,  and  sweeps  away 
the  superstitions  of  the  world,  as  the  whirlwind  scatters  the 


13 


seared  leaves  of  autumn.  But,  can  the  true  principles  of 
science  be  established,  where  schools  and  higher  semi- 
naries, and  the  press  are  unknown  ? 

The  Pagan  world  has  its  literature.  And  though  you 
scarcely  find  it  amid  the  scattered  aborigines  of  our  own 
country,  or  the  swarming  myriads  of  the  Pacific,  or  the 
swarthy  millions  of  the  African  Continent ; yet  China, 
Hindoostan,  Burmah,  and  the  Islands  of  the  Indian 
Archipelago,  boast  of  a literature,  scarcely  less  extensive 
and  polished  than  our  own.  Law,  Medicine,  History, 
Poetry,  Painting,  and  Music,  all  have  their  votaries,  and 
their  authors.  Pompous  fictions  and  legendary  tales, 
almost  as  frivolous  and  contemptible  as  those  of  Fielding 
and  Bulwer,  fill  up  the  alcoves  of  the  “learned”  and 
the  great,  and  even  find  their  way  into  the  thatched  and 
mud-walled  cabin.  It  is  a literature,  corrupt  at  its  foun- 
tains, and  impure  in  all  its  streams  ; and  if  it  shall  ever 
be  purged  of  its  monstrous  creations  of  fancy,  of  its 
polluting  exhibitions  of  sensuality,  of  its  repulsive  pro- 
faneness, aud  its  abounding  incentives  to  profligacy  and 
crime,  it  must  be  by  the  strong  hand  of  Christian  edu- 
cation. “ Give  me  the  making  of  a nation’s  ballads,” 
said  one,  “ and  he  who  will,  may  make  its  laws  ; ” but 
with  still  greater  emphasis  may  one  say,  “ Give  me  the 
control  of  a nation’s  literature , and  he  who  will  may 
fashion  its  religious  creed.”  A false  and  corrupting 
literature,  can  only  be  supplanted  by  the  literary  products 
of  schools  and  colleges,  under  the  instruction  of  those, 
who  feel  their  responsibilities  to  the  Saviour  of  the  world. 

But  on  this  point  I forbear  j and  proceed  as  proposed 

III.  To  suggest  some  motives  to  persevering  effort  in 
this  cause. 

And  where,  dear  brethren,  shall  I begin,  on  a topic  like 
this  ? Shall  I appeal  to  the  authority  of  Heaven,  which 
binds  us  to  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature  ? — Or,  to 


14 


the  example  of  Jesus,  in  his  mission  from  the  throne  of 
God,  his  life  of  active  beneficence,  and  his  death  of  agony  ? 
Or,  to  the  pleasures  inseparable  from  conscious  devoted- 
ness to  the  immortal  welfare  of  the  world?  Or,  to  that 
crown  of  surpassing  splendor  which  shall  reward  the 
labors  of  those  that  turn  many  to  righteousness?  Motives 
all,  of  infinite  weight  and  grandeur! 

Instead  of  expatiating  on  these,  however,  let  it  suffice 
to  allude  to  them,  as  already  familiar  to  your  meditations, 
and  as  incidentally  corroborating  the  argument  I would 
deduce,  first,  from  the  actual  state  of  the  pagan  world  ; 
and  secondly,  from  the  history  of  God’s  dispensations 
toward  it,  in  past  and  passing  times.  And  even  Avith 
these  limitations,  it  will  be  impossible  to  do  more,  than 
refresh  your  minds  with  hints  both  few  and  brief,  gathered 
up  from  the  broad  field  before  us. 

Reference  has  already  been  made,  to  the  miseries  every 
where  crowding  the  soil  of  Paganism.  No  pen  can  de- 
scribe them ; no  heart,  in  Christendom,  can  fully  conceive 
of  them.  Yet,  their  sources  are  not  hidden  ; and  the 
proximate  causes  of  their  overflow,  come  within  the  sphere 
of  our  observation. 

Is  it  not  enough,  to  know  that  the  fundamental  re- 
lation of  human  society,  is  not  recognized,  on  Pagan 
ground,  as  the  ordinance  of  Heaven — that  it  is  formed 
without  love,  continued  without  fidelity,  and  terminated 
without  regret  ? The  husband  is  the  tyrant,  and  the 
wife  the  slave ; the  parent  is  the  monster,  and  the  child 
the  victim  of  unbridled  passions.  Neglect  and  hatred, 
jealousy  and  revenge,  perfidiousness  and  cruelty,  form, 
not  the  exception,  but  the  rule,  that  regulates  the  duties 
of  this,  and  every  subordinate  relationship.  Where  polyg- 
amy prevails,  as  in  every  heathen  land — where  the  son 
dispossesses  the  father  of  his  inheritance,  as  soon  as  he 
has  muscular  strength  to  do  it  — where  the  Avidowed  Avife 
is  stripped  of  every  thing  by  the  rapacity  of  her  husband’s 


15 


relatives,  or  compelled  to  burn  on  the  funeral  pile  of  her 
deceased  lord,  or  constrained  to  strangle  her  own  offspring 
— where  the  tender  mercies  of  men  are  cruelty,  and  the 
life  of  a man  and  a dog  are  estimated  alike — where  the 
sick  are  cast  forth  to  die  without  pity,  and  the  un- 
fortunate to  weep  without  sympathy,  and  the  aged  to 
languish  on  the  burning  sands,  and  the  dead  to  be 
devoured  by  the  beasts  of  the  desert  or  the  birds  of 
heaven — where  licentiousness  is  so  universal  as  to  know 
no  shame,  and  theft  and  dishonesty  rank  among  the 
virtues  — where  the  conviction  of  a lie  puts  no  man  out 
of  countenance,  and  the  perpetration  of  murder  blanches 
no  man’s  cheek — where  God  is  not  known,  nor  glorified 
as  God,  but  man  is  vain  in  all  his  imaginations,  while 
wrath  is  revealed  from  heaven  against  all  his  ungodliness 
and  unrighteousness,  — is  there  not,  by  the  necessary 
operation  of  the  changeless  laws  of  God’s  moral  govern- 
ment, an  amount  of  wretchedness  that  defies  all  com- 
putation ? 

And  then,  on  the  gloom  of  this  thick  darkness,  not  a 
ray  of  light  is  reflected  from  the  future;  no  solace  is 
found  in  the  anticipation  of  glory,  honor,  and  immortality, 
beyond  the  grave.  Hope  doubtless  lives  in  Pagan  bosoms; 
but  what  is  its  object  ? what  evidence  sustains  it  ? what  is 
the  value  of  the  relief  it  yields  to  an  enthralled  and  guilty 
conscience  ? Tell  me  not  of  the  Elysium  of  the  Ameri- 
can Indian,  or  the  Polynesian  Islander,  or  the  Hindoo 
devotee,  or  the  Mohammedan  misbeliever ; sloth,  and 
sensuality,  and  the  unlimited  indulgence  of  every  base 
passion,  amid  green  fields  and  sunny  bowers,  festive  com- 
panions, beauteous  slaves,  and  spacious  halls,  decorated 
with  the  scalps  of  enemies,  and  cups  streaming  with  the 
warm  blood  of  slaughtered  heroes  — this,  this  is  the 
heaven  of  the  Pagan.  Here  indeed  hope  may  fasten, 
but  wherein  differs  it  from  the  vain  chimeras  that  tantalize 
every  pagan  mind,  from  the  first  dawnings  of  its  infancy, 


16 


till  at  the  mouth  of  the  grave,  the  darkness  of  eternity 
settles  upon  it  forever.  The  evidence  sustaining  it,  is 
drawn  from  fancy,  tradition,  and  lust,  cruel  and  insatiate. 
The  relief  it  yields,  is  not  more  visionary,  than  ill  adapted 
to  the  exigences  of  an  immortal  spirit,  on  the  wing  for 
eternity  ! 

Now  we  affirm  that  the  character  of  the  Pagan  may  be 
elevated.  Aside  of  the  moral  pollution  that  stains  it,  its 
depression  is  not  elementary  but  incidental.  Apart  from 
the  influence  of  superstition,  the  natural  instincts  and 
social  virtues,  are  nowhere  found  in  higher  perfection. 
Where,  on  earth,  is  mind  more  ready  in  its  perceptions, 
more  brilliant  in  its  imaginings,  more  bold  in  its  grasp 
of  thought,  or  more  vigorous  in  its  recollections,  than 
among  those  who  know  not  God  ? The  eloquence  of 
the  savage,  is  unsurpassed  in  its  essential  characteristics, 
by  the  eloquence  of  Athens  or  Rome,  of  the  British  or 
American  capitols.  His  wisdom  in  counsel,  and  his 
energy  in  conflict  are  unrivalled.  It  is  not  in  intellect, 
but  in  the  education  of  intellect — not  in  the  weakness 
of  his  social  affections,  but  in  their  defective  discipline, 
that  his  inferiority  appears,  and  his  degradation  is  marked. 

I say  then,  he  is  capable  of  elevation  to  an  eminence 
as  exalted  as  that  of  the  most  favored  sons  of  Christen- 
dom. Nothing  in  his  nature,  but  every  thing  in  his 
circumstances  dooms  him  to  grovel,  where  the  child  of 
Christian  education  soars  on  a wing  that  never  tires. 
Christianity  only  can  give  him  this  elevation.  The 
missionary,  the  Bible,  the  school  and  the  press,  are  the 
instruments  this  mighty  agent  employs  to  dispel  the 
darkness  that  enshrouds  equally  his  intellectual  and  moral 
powers.  A few  years’  hallowed  toil  destroys  the  idols, 
and  breaks  down  the  maraes  of  a whole  group  of  savage 
islands,  and  rears  the  spacious  temple,  where  thousands 
bend  the  knee,  at  Jehovah’s  name  ; it  finds  these  thou- 
sands without  a written  language,  and  leaves  them  reading 


17 


the  wonderful  works  of  God  in  their  own  tongue  ; it 
finds  them  devoid  of  natural  affection,  and  leaves  them 
cherishing  their  children  with  parental  assiduity  ; it  finds 
them  delighting  in  war,  and  thirsting  for  blood,  and- leaves 
them  disciples  of  peace,  enjoying  a happiness  to  which 
their  ancestors  were  strangers ; the  curtained  darkness  of 
the  grave  rises,  and  lets  in  the  light  of  heaven  on  the 
sightless  eye-ball  of  the  warrior  of  Raiatea ; and  a voice, 
as  of  ten  thousand  celestial  harpers,  breaks  on  his  ear, 
while  the  blood  of  Jesus  falls  on  “ the  mountain  of  his 
sins,”  melting  them  all  away,  and  giving  him  the  joyous 
anticipation  of  the  sentence  yet  to  be  heard,  “ Come  thou 
blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for 
thee,  from  before  the  foundation  of  the  world.” 

Secondly,  we  are  to  notice  the  history  of  God’s  dis- 
pensations toward  the  cause  in  past  and  passing  times. 
When  God  works,  who  shall  let  it  ! 

The  signal  triumphs  that  marked  the  first  introduction 
of  the  Gospel  to  our  world,  eighteen  hundred  years  ago, 
are  matters  of  inspired  record,  too  familiar  to  require  more 
than  the  general  remark,  that  whatever  impetus  was  then 
given  to  its  progress,  by  miraculous  interpositions,  and  the 
gift  of  tongues,  it  was  not  more  powerful  than  that  given 
in  later  periods,  by  translations  of  the  Scriptures,  and 
other  means  already  alluded  to. 

The  Apostles  had  scarcely  finished  their  course,  when 
others  arose  in  their  spirit  and  power,  whose  labors  spread 
the  doctrines  of  the  cross  far  and  wide,  and  multiplied 
converts,  whose  lives  illustrated  the  divine  origin  and 
benign  influences  of  those  doctrines.  Two  centuries 
passed  not  away,  before  whole  nations  had  embraced  the 
faith,  and  the  sacraments  of  Christ  were  diffused  over 
the  world ; and  it  was  no  figure  of  rhetoric,  but  a declara- 
tion of  sober  truth,  made  by  Arnobius,  “ that  orators, 
rhetoricians,  lawyers,  physicians,  and  philosophers  now 
love  our  religion,  despising  that  in  which  they  once 
3 


18 


trusted  ; that  servants  endure  cruelty  from  their  masters, 
wives  submit  to  be  separated  from  their  husbands,  and 
children  to  be  disinherited  by  their  parents,  rather  than 
abandon  the  Christian  religion.” 

In  the  two  following  centuries  the  “ True  Light  ” 
shone  with  increasing  splendor ; not  indeed  without  the 
occasional  intervention  of  clouds  dark  and  portentous ; 
but,  if  commotions  prevailed  in  those  portions  of  Asia 
and  Africa  where  the  first  churches  were  planted,  truth 
advanced  in  France  and  Germany;  and  Christian  captives, 
taken  in  war,  became  missionaries  in  the  lands  of  their 
captivity.  And  if,  while  Constantine  increased  the  ex- 
ternal splendor  of  the  church  by  his  munificent  patronage 
of  bishops,  and  his  elevation  of  Christians  only  to  official 
station,  errors  arose  and  vices  abounded,  and  the  spirit  of 
piety  here  and  there  declined,  yet  valiant  witnesses  for  the 
truth  were  raised  up;  and  among  the  Abyssinians,  the  Per- 
sians and  Saracens,  the  triumphs  of  the  Cross  were  not  few. 

For  centuries  afterwards,  folds  of  thick  darkness  en- 
veloped the  church.  Though  the  spirit  of  the  Apostles 
lived  and  wrought,  obediently  to  the  commission  of  the 
ascending  Saviour,  it  was  on  a limited  scale.  Patrick 
reared  the  cross  in  Ireland,  and  immortalized  his  name. 
Britain  abandoned  her  idolatries,  and  sent  forth  her 
Willebrod  and  his  companions  to  plant  the  gospel  anew 
in  Batavia  and  Denmark,  in  Germany  and  France.  At 
the  same  period,  missions  were  established  in  China;  and 
the  tree  of  life,  then  planted  under  the  shadow  of  imperial 
favor,  though  since  stript  of  its  foliage,  and  uptorn  by 
the  winds  of  the  Desert,  still  remains,  to  be  reared  again, 
and  nurtured  by  the  care  of  husbandmen  already  oc- 
cupying that  portion  of  the  Lord's  vineyard.  The  names 
of  Winfred,  and  Liefewyn,  and  Villchad,  are  still  held 
in  sweet  remembrance,  as  British  heralds  of  the  cross,  to 
thousands  of  Saxons  and  Friezlanders  in  the  eighth 
century.  And,  during  the  same  period,  the  Nestorians 


successfully  assailed  the  superstitions  of  the  Scythians, 
and  extended  the  influence  of  the  gospel  to  the  most 
distant  countries.  Jutland  and  Sweden,  Bulgaria  and 
Moravia,  also  received  the  knowledge  of  letters,  and  of 
Jesus’  love,  through  the  instrumentality  of  French  and 
British  missionaries. 

Even  during  that  period,  which  has  been  styled  “ an 
iron  age,  barren  of  all  goodness — a leaden  age,  abounding 
in  all  wickedness,  and  a dark  age,  as  destitute  of  men 
of  learning  ” and  independent  thought,  the  spirit  of 
missions  never  slept.  Poland  then  first  professed  sub- 
jection to  the  cross ; Hungary  too  received  the  truth, 
and  exhibited  the  spectacle  of  a monarch  descending 
from  his  throne,  to  accompany  the  missionaries  through 
his  dominions,  and  add  his  own  pathetic  and  earnest 
exhortations  to  theirs.  But,  I may  not  detain  you  here. 

Reaching  the  era  of  the  crusades,  we  pause  — not  to 
admire  the  wonders  of  missionary  achievement  — but  to 
behold  the  powers  of  Christendom  banded  against  the 
powers  of  Mohammedanism  — to  behold  princes  and 
peasants,  lords  and  bishops  mingling  together  in  all  the 
pomp  and  pageantry  of  war,  and  concentrating  their  sym- 
pathies and  passions  on  the  one  splendid  object  of  hope, 
the  concpiest  of  the  land  trodden  by  the  kings  and 
prophets  of  past  ages,  celebrated  by  the  lyre  of  David, 
and  consecrated  by  the  oracles  of  God.  Even  this  mad 
project  of  freeing  the  “ holy  sepulchre  ” from  Moham- 
medan control,  though  originating  in  superstition,  and 
urged  on  by  the  suggestions  of  avarice  and  ambition,  and 
consummated  by  the  foulest  treachery  and  crime,  yet 
derives  special  interest  from  its  connection  with  the  grand 
event  that  two  centuries  afterwards  liberated  Europe  from 
its  debasing  subjection  to  the  Pontiff  of  Rome,  illustrating 
the  glorious  truth,  that  God  causeth  the  wrath  of  man  to 
praise  him , and  restrains  the  remainder  of  wrath.  The 
instrumentalities  that  brought  about  the  Reformation, 


20 


under  Luther  and  the  Elector  of  Saxony,  were  prepared 
amid  those  fearful  conflicts.  It  was  there,  that  the  ignoble 
slumbers  of  ages  were  broken  up,  and  the  mass  of  mind 
began  once  more  to  think,  to  reason,  and  decide  questions 
of  faith  and  duty,  on  its  own  responsibilities.  And,  it 
was  in  the  interim  between  the  Crusades  and  the  Refor- 
mation, that  the  Waldenses  struggled  hard  to  maintain 
the  truth  among  the  vallies  of  Piedmont ; and  that 
Wickliffe  in  England,  and  Huss  in  Bohemia,  and  a few 
kindred  spirits  elsewhere,  bore  their  testimony  for  God, 
and  fainted  not,  amid  persecutions  and  deaths.  New 
missions  were  established,  and  old  ones  were  revived, 
down  to  the  very  day  when  the  monk  of  Erfurth  burst 
his  confinement,  and  summoned  the  armies  of  the  faithful 
to  the  fearful  conflict  with  “the  Man  of  sin.” 

In  the  sixteenth  century,  Geneva  sent  her  missionaries 
into  South  America;  Gustavus  Yasa  gave  the  gospel  to 
Lapland ; and  Holland  established  her  missions  in  Ceylon. 
How  far  the  spirit  of  Apostolic  days  prompted  these 
movements,  is  known  only  to  God ; but  that  the  knowl- 
edge of  Christ  was  extended,  and  souls  saved,  we  have  no 
room  to  doubt. 

In  the  missionary  operations  of  the  following  century, 
the  aborigines  of  our  own  country  largely  shared,  through 
the  self-denials  of  the  Eliots,  the  Mayhews  and  the 
Bournes.  And  but  little  more  than  a century  has  passed, 
since  Ziegenbalg,  and  Plutscho,  and  Gericke,  struck  up 
a light  in  India,  under  the  auspices  of  Denmark,  which 
shall  burn  brighter  and  brighter,  till  the  whole  of  that 
dark  land  shall  be  flooded  with  its  beams.  And  to  the 
labors  of  Swartz  on  the  same  ground,  of  Egcde  in  Green- 
land, and  of  the  Moravians  in  South  Africa  and  other 
inhospitable  climes,  scarcely  an  allusion  need  be  made. 

But  it  is  believed — and  let  the  glory  be  given  to  Him 
to  whom  it  is  due  — that  never  since  apostolic  days,  mis- 
sions have  been  conducted,  at  once  on  a scale  so  broad,  in 


21 


a spirit  so  pure,  and  with  prospects  so  cheering,  as  within 
the  last  fifty  years.  Emphatically  is  the  present,  “ the 
Age  of  Missions.”  Some  zeal  for  God,  and  for  the  exten- 
sion of  pure  religion  doubtless  there  was,  in  the  bye  gone 
ages  of  darkness  and  of  religious  chivalry  ; but  too  often, 
civil  rulers  engaged  in  the  enterprise  for  the  extension  of 
their  dominions  and  the  increase  of  their  revenues  ; and 
ambitious  ecclesiastics  encouraged  it,  for  the  acquisition  of 
enlarged  influence  and  more  abundant  wealth  ; nor  was  it 
always,  that  missionaries  themselves  were  actuated  by  the 
disinterested  spirit  of  a Xavier  or  a Vanderkemp,  deeming 
themselves  amply  recompensed  for  all  their  privations  and 
dangers,  by  the  conversion  of  a single  soul.  Still,  the 
knowledge  of  salvation  increased  even  then ; mind  ex- 
panded, and  found  new  sources  of  occupation  and  delight ; 
the  relations  of  man  to  God  and  his  fellow  man  were 
investigated  and  better  comprehended ; the  chains  of  intel- 
lectual and  moral  servitude  were  weakened ; the  dignity 
and  elevation  of  the  race  steadily  advanced  ; and  the 
gross  errors  and  vices  of  successive  generations  gradually 
retired  from  the  light  of  day,  and  made  room  for  the  later 
reforms  in  doctrine  and  manners,  which  are  now  blessing 
the  world.  But,  in  the  passing  age,  a spirit  is  abroad, 
which  unites  the  Christian  world,  without  distinction  of 
sect,  in  concerts  of  prayer,  and  combines  the  energies  of 
the  rich  and  the  poor,  the  learned  and  the  unlearned,  the 
great  and  the  small,  directing  them  to  the  single  object, 
of  flooding  the  world’s  entire  population,  with  streams  of 
light  and  love,  drawn  from  that  ocean  of  glory  in  which 
Jehovah  dwells. 

“ Onward,  onward,”  is  the  language  of  God’s  dis- 
pensations toward  Zion  from  the  beginning.  Whatever 
darkness  may  have  embosomed  her,  whatever  adversities 
may  have  befallen  her,  whatever  follies  may  have  marked 
her  course,  and  whatever  may  have  been  the  temporary 
triumphs  of  her  enemies — still  the  Lord  has  not  forsaken 


22 


her,  nor  “removed  from  her  the  covenant  of  his  peace,” 
but  laid  her  stones  with  fair  colors,  and  her  foundations 
with  sapphires,  and  assured  her  that  all  her  children  shall 
be  taught  of  the  Lord. 

How  cheering  are  present  prospects  ! The  sun  performs 
not  a revolution,  without  looking  down  on  missionary 
stations  newly  occupied ; on  enlarging  hosts  of  mission- 
aries ; on  expanding  school  establishments ; and  on  multi- 
plying pentecostai  seasons,  which  cause  the  shout  of 
hallowed  triumph  to  echo  from  all  sides  of  the  wide 
field,  and  rise  in  one  swelling  anthem  of  praise,  to  the 
throne  of  heaven  ! Zion’s  resources  are  augmenting  ; 
faith  gathers  strength  ; new  fountains  of  beneficence  are 
constantly  opening,  and  streams  of  Christian  love  are 
flowing  in  increasing  volume,  down  the  widening  chan- 
nels, destined  to  convey  their  life-giving  influence  over 
the  whole  tract  of  the  world’s  drear  waste  ! Soon,  shall 
the  names  of  Boodh  and  Bramah,  of  Vishnoo  and  Siva, 
live  only  on  the  historic  page,  with  the  names  of  Jupiter 
and  Apollo,  of  Mars  and  Venus — to  be  remembered,  and 
abhorred  ; and  with  them,  shall  the  millions  of  inferior 
gods,  adored  throughout  the  heathen  world,  sink  into 
oblivious  darkness  ; and  even  now,  is  this  scarcely  so 
much  a matter  of  prophecy  as  of  history ; for,  already 
has  it  been  verified  among  the  isles  of  Oceanica,  the 
cities  of  India,  the  wilds  of  America,  the  tangled  forests 
or  the  arid  plains  of  Africa,  where  men  are  casting  their 
idols  of  silver  and  gold,  of  clay  and  of  stone,  to  the  moles 
and  the  bats. 

What  fact  is  more  clear,  than  that  the  twilight  of 
millennial  glory  dawns  ! The  isles  of  the  sea  wait  for 
the  law  of  the  Lord.  The  superstitions  of  whole  con- 
tinents are  shaken,  and  the  deep  laid  foundations  of 
idolatry  are  giving  way.  The  Jew  anticipates  an  early 
return  to  the  land  of  his  fathers ; the  Mohammedan  for- 
bodes  some  stupendous  moral  revolution  ; and  the  Pagan 


23 


stands  aghast  at  the  prospective  downfall  of  his  gods. 
Facilities  of  intercourse  among  the  nations  multiply, 
mutual  prejudices  vanish,  extending  commercial  relations 
brighten  the  chain  of  friendship  between  distant  tribes, 
and  men  every  where  learn  at  length,  that  philanthropy 
consists  with  patriotism,  and  that  all  have  one  Father, 
and  of  course,  are  brethren.  May  we  not  then,  look  with 
confidence  to  the  early  and  full  introduction  of  that  day 
of  wonders,  of  which  the  prophets  spoke  ? 

It  comes.  “ It  hasteth  greatly.”  Already  is  the  horizon 
tinged  with  the  bright  rays  of  that  Luminary,  that  will 
soon  fling  abroad  his  beams  over  all  the  darkness  of  the  ' 
moral  world.  Light  streams  up;  not  like  the  flickering 
aurora,  to  span  the  heavens,  create  amazement,  and  vanish 
away ; but  like  the  sun,  revealing  a morning  without 
clouds,  and  diffusing  gladness  through  all  human  habita- 
tions. The  gloom  that  has  shrouded  the  face  of  the 
moral  universe  so  long,  recedes,  and  shall  never  return ; 
and  songs  of  devout  gratulation,  bursting  from  ten  thou- 
sand thousand  human  tongues,  shall  meet  and  mingle  soon 
in  sublime  symphony  with  the  music  of  angelic  choirs, 
celebrating  the  world’s  emancipation,  and  the  universal 
empire  of  the  Prince  of  peace. 

And  here  I might  close ; but  allow  me  in  conclusion,  to 
suggest  a single  reflection. 

Our  own  country  has  much  to  do,  in  accomplishment 
of  these  great  designs  of  Jehovah.  This  is  obvious,  from 
a single  glance  at  other  parts  of  Christendom.  On  the 
moral  and  religious  condition  of  Europe  even,  no  en- 
lightened eye  can  look  without  painful  emotion.  It  con- 
tains within  itself,  a wider  field  of  missionary  enterprise 
than  can  be  fully  occupied  by  any  possible  concentration 
of  its  own  energies,  in  existing  circumstances.  All  indeed 
is  not  darkness  ; but  the  few  and  scattered  rays  of  divine 
light,  passing  through  the  dense  atmosphere  of  papal 


24 


superstition,  German  neology,  or  French  infidelity,  are  too 
much  refracted  and  discolored,  to  leave  the  pathway  to 
heaven  clear.  Nor  is  all,  death  ; but  an  incubus  oppresses 
the  church,  attended  with  all  the  signs  of  death,  except 
now  and  then  a convulsive  throe,  or  a spasmodic  struggle. 
Nor  is  all  despair  ; for  occasionally  a voice  is  heard  faintly 
issuing  from  among  the  sepulchres  of  ancient  faith  and 
love  — “Come  over,  and  help  us.”  But,  happy  will  be 
the  day,  when  France  and  Spain,  Germany  and  Russia, 
and  their  kindred  states,  shall  be  sufficiently  freed  from 
the  vices  of  political  and  ecclesiastical  domination,  to 
exert  their  undivided  energies,  for  deliverance  from  the 
bondage  of  hierarchies,  scarcely  less  opposed  to  the  simple 
truth  of  Jesus,  than  the  most  corrupt  pagan  priesthood. 

To  these  remarks,  the  venerated  land  of  our  fathers,  is 
the  only  important  exception.  Great  Britain  has  not  only 
ample  resources  and  unsurpassed  facilities  for  the  diffusion 
of  the  Gospel,  but  she  has  a wakeful  conscience,  an  open 
hand,  and  a large  heart.  In  modern  missions  she  stands 
foremost.  And  we  delight  to  honor  her  elevated  rank 
among  the  almoners  of  God’s  best  blessings  to  a dying 
world,  while  we  trace  her  footsteps,  as  she  goes  forth 
from  her  lovely  isles,  to  gather  in  her  arms  the  outcasts 
of  Israel,  and  the  forsaken  children  of  Paganism,  and 
bring  them  home  to  the  banquet  of  a Saviour’s  love. 

But,  why  should  she  bear  the  burden  and  heat  of  the 
day  alone — and  receive  all  the  rewards  of  accomplishing 
God’s  purposes  of  mercy  ? Shall  not  our  own  country 
take  hold  on  the  enterprise  with  a strong  hand,  and 
advance  with  firm  step  in  the  work  of  the  world’s  re- 
generation, and  share  the  honors  and  rewards  of  fellowship 
in  the  labors  of  Christ  ? 

God  hath  given  us  an  inheritance,  that  leaves  no  room 
for  envy,  and  no  ground  for  complaint  ; a land  of  unsur- 
passed loveliness,  and  unbounded  fertility  ; yielding  every 
variety  of  production,  and  amply  rewarding  the  spirit  of 


25 


toilsome  enterprise.  And,  in  the  happy  structure  of  our 
government,  in  the  equity  of  our  laws,  in  the  guarantees 
of  our  civil  liberties,  in  the  purity  of  our  institutions,  and 
in  the  unfettered  enjoyment  of  every  object  of  rational 
desire,  it  may  be  truly  said,  “ He  hath  not  dealt  so  with 
any  people.”  Nowhere  is  the  acquisition  of  wealth  so 
easy,  nor  its  distribution  so  equal,  nor  so  large  a portion 
of  it  in  the  hands  of  Zion’s  friends.  Nowhere  does 
religion  flourish  in  greater  purity.  Nowhere  is  an  equal 
proportion  of  the  mass  of  mind  pervaded  by  the  direct  or 
indirect  influences  of  the  Bible,  and  so  intelligently  in- 
structed in  all  the  essential  principles  of  individual  and 
social  happiness.  And,  beside  all  this,  a missionary  spirit 
forms  one  of  the  primary  elements  of  our  national  char- 
acter. It  was  not  more  to  escape  ecclesiastical  usurpation, 
than  to  evangelize  this  vast  Continent,  that  our  fathers 
first  planted  here  the  ensign  of  the  Lord  of  hosts ; nor 
did  they  lose  sight  of  their  object,  till  hundreds  and  thou- 
sands of  the  red  men  of  the  forest  abandoned  the  war 
dance  for  the  worship  of  the  sanctuary,  and  burying  the 
tomahawk,  joined  their  voices  in  the  harmonies  of  the 
church  triumphant. 

Were  it  permitted  us  to  speak  of  the  yet  undeveloped 
destinies  of  our  country,  no  language  could  express  our 
anticipations  more  fully  than  that  of  a distinguished  son 
of  England.  “Christianity,”  says  he,  “is  likely  to  derive 
its  widest  extension  from  those  transatlantic  States,  which 
are  borne  forward  to  an  unparalleled  greatness  in  spite  of 
themselves  ; which  need  no  guaranty  for  their  prosperity, 
but  the  stability  of  the  present  order  of  nature  ; for  whom 
the  ploughshare  does  the  work  of  the  sword,  and  whose 
firmest  ally  is  Time.”  Brethren,  there  is  no  other  nation 
under  heaven,  that  ought  to  bear,  or  is  destined  to  bear, 
so  distinguished  a part  as  our  own,  in  the  advancing 
moral  revolution  of  the  world.  And  the  incipient  efforts 
of  the  infant  giant,  cradled  in  the  wilderness  of  this 
4 


26 


mighty  Continent,  and  soothed  by  the  lullaby  of  the 
•winds  and  the  waves  of  two  vast  oceans  — fed  too  by 
the  hand  of  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  and  roused  by  the 
death-cry  of  six  hundred  millions  of  immortals,  give  sure 
presage  of  a manhood,  nerved  to  grasp  the  sword  of  the 
Spirit,  and  wield  it  to  the  discomfiture  of  the  armies  of 
the  aliens,  and  the  final  triumph  of  a ransomed  world. 

If  such  be  the  future  destinies  of  our  country,  and  such 
the  influences  going  forth  from  her  through  successive 
generations,  it  becomes  us  with  humility  to  bow  before 
the  throne,  and  with  earnestness  to  watch  the  develop- 
ments of  Providence,  and  with  holy  ardor  to  improve 
every  advantage,  to  magnify  the  office  assigned  us  among 
heaven’s  instrumentalities,  for  the  world’s  conversion. 

Nineteen  years,  dear  brethren,  have  we  been  associated 
for  purposes  of  mutual  encouragement  and  assistance  in 
the  prosecution  of  this  glorious  work.  With  heaven’s 
blessing,  we  have  accomplished  something.  Through  the 
agency  of  that  beloved  brother,  whose  praise  is  in  all  the 
churches,  and  whose  support  we  have  so  long  assumed, 
we  have  placed  the  offers  of  the  great  salvation  before  the 
Jew  and  the  Gentile,  the  nominal  Christian  and  the 
Mohammedan,  year  after  year,  in  every  variety  of  form, 
and  in  all  the  tenderness  of  hallowed  love.  Great  results, 
we  have  not  yet  seen.  But, 


“ Tho’  seed  lie  buried  long  in  dust, 
It  shan’t  deceive  our  hope.” 


The  harvest  will  yet  be  reapt.  And  they  that  sow,  and 
they  that  reap,  shall  yet  rejoice  together,  in  presence  of 
the  Lord  of  the  harvest.  “All  is  yet  dark  with  us,” 
says  our  faithful  missionary,  in  a letter  just  received,  “ in 
regard  to  political,  as  well  as  religious  affairs.  No  star  is 
yet  seen  in  the  East,  guiding  the  poor  benighted  people 
to  adore  the  incarnate  Son  of  God.  We  trust  however, 


27 


that  the  night  is  far  gone,  that  the  day  will  dawn,  and 
the  shadows  dee  away.  When  shall  it  once  be  ? What 
a blessed  day  will  that  be,  when  the  sun  shall  no  longer 
shine  on  a sinful,  but  on  a renovated  world  ! Such  a day 
is  doubtless  coming.  Let  us  look  at  it,  as  Abraham  did 
on  the  coming  day  of  Christ,  and  be  glad.” 

Yes  ! look  at  it  we  will,  in  joyous  expectation  of  its 
early  arrival,  and  in  the  assured  confidence,  that  it  will 
come,  and  will  not  tarry. 

But,  brethren,  have  we  not  more  to  do  than  we  have 
yet  done  ? Have  we  offered  prayer  enough  ? Have  our 
prayers  been  humble  and  fervent  enough  ? Have  we 
sufficiently  studied  our  duty,  in  the  light  of  God's  word 
and  providence  ? Have  we  duly  contemplated  the  actual 
and  prospective  condition  of  the  millions  who  are  living 
in  the  world,  without  God  and  without  hope  ? Have  we 
weighed  well  our  own  responsibilities  to  God,  to  Zion, 
and  a dying  world  ? And,  in  regard  to  pecuniary  con- 
tributions, have  we  inquired,  “ Lord,  what  will  thou  have 
us  to  do  ? ” Have  we,  like  the  poor  widow,  done  what 
we  could  ? Have  we  met  increasing  claims,  with  in- 
creasing donations  ? Have  we  denied  ourselves,  and 
labored  hard  to  acquire  the  means  of  making  glad  the 
heart  of  the  missionary,  and  extending  his  influence  ? 
And,  how  much  have  we  done  to  stir  up  the  hearts  of 
others,  by  example  and  exhortation  — to  silence  the  ob- 
jections of  covetousness,  and  the  cavils  of  unbelief  ? It 
is  surely  wise  to  inquire  concerning  this — for  the  time  is 
at  hand,  when  such  inquiries  must  be  met  and  answered 
at  the  bar  of  God  ! 

Nothing  is  more  clear,  than  that  there  is  deficiency 
somewhere.  A wide  and  effectual  door  is  open,  for  the 
entrance  of  that  Word  that  giveth  light,  into  vast  and 
hitherto  unexplored  regions  of  moral  darkness ; God  has 
raised  up  and  qualified  men  to  go  forth  and  publish  that 
Word  ; they  stand  up  in  our  midst,  and  say,  “ Here  we 


28 


are,  send  us  ! ” Still,  they  are  not  sent.  The  means 
of  sustaining  them  are  not  furnished  — the  silver  and 
the  gold,  though  they  are  the  Lord’s,  are  held  back  ; 
and,  while  they  tarry  behind,  the  breath  of  the  Lord, 
like  a stream  of  brimstone,  is  kindling  a flame  in  Burmah 
and  China,  in  Turkey  and  Persia,  that  threatens  the 
endless  destruction  of  millions  without  number.  Where 
is  that  deficiency  ? Brethren  ! must  we  go  from  home  to 
find  it  ? Shall  we  charge  it  on  this  man  or  on  that — on 
one  community  or  another  ? Is  it  not  with  ourselves  ? 

But  — we  sustain  one  missionary  ! Yes,  and  a second 
— and  the  portion  of  a third  ! Thank  God  for  inclining 
us  to  this.  But  is  this  the  sum  total  of  our  duty  to  a 
cause  of  such  magnitude  ? Of  the  $300,000  required  by 
the  plans  of  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for 
Foreign  Missions,  is  a thousand  dollars,  “ more  or  less,” 
a fair  proportion  for  the  twenty  churches  of  the  Palestine 
Association  ? “I  trow  not.” 

But  I may  not  press  this  point,  much  as  it  is  in  my 
heart  to  do  it.  It  shall  be  left  to  your  own  decision, 
in  view  of  that  day  when  all  nations  shall  be  gathered 
before  the  Son  of  man,  and  he  shall  say,  “Come  ye 
blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for 
you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world : for  I was  an 
hungered  and  ye  gave  me  meat ; I was  thirsty  and  ye 
gave  me  drink ; I was  a stranger  and  ye  took  me  in.” 
“ Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of 
these,  ye  have  done  it  unto  me.”  With  that  tremendous 
scene  in  your  eye,  you  surely  will  not  hold  back  from 
any  work  of  faith,  or  labor  of  love,  to  which  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  calls  you. 

If  “ no  star  be  seen  in  the  East,”  yet  its  harbingers 
are  there.  The  Bible  is  there ; the  Tract  and  the  Sabbath 
school  are  there ; and  the  missionary  is  there,  to  direct 
the  eyes  of  wondering  thousands  to  the  babe  of  Bethlehem, 
whenever  the  token  of  his  appearing  to  redeem  and  to 


29 


rule,  shall  burst  through  the  dense  clouds  of  superstition 
and  delusion,  that  have  for  ages  on  ages  settled  along 
the  line  of  the  eastern  horizon. 

Be  not  discouraged  then.  The  anchor  of  your  hope, 
thrown  out  amid  all  the  promises  and  oaths  of  the  living 
God,  shall  hold  you  fast.  Fail,  it  cannot.  Heaven  and 
earth  shall  sooner  pass  away.  From  the  world’s  birth- 
day to  its  doom,  a more  interesting  period  occurs  not, 
than  the  present.  Though  all  the  elements  of  civil  society 
are  in  agitation,  and  the  moral  world  is  convulsed  to  its 
centre  — though  error  never  more  multiplied  its  forms, 
nor  more  vigorously  wielded  its  weapons,  nor  more  boldly 
opened  its  mouth  against  the  heavens ; yet  Paganism  was 
never  so  accessible,  Mohammedanism  never  so  quailed 
before  advancing  light,  and  Romanism  itself,  that  master- 
piece of  infernal  mechanism,  never  so  waned  to  its  down- 
fall. “ The  Lord  has  given  the  word,  and  great  is  the 
company  of  them  that  publish  it,”  and  of  them  also  that 
tremble  before  it. 

Gird  on  your  armor  then,  dear  brethren,  and  arise  with 
renovated  courage  and  resolution,  to  maintain  the  conflict 
in  which  you  are  engaged,  with  principalities  and  powers. 
The  laurels  of  victory  shall  be  yours ; and  you  shall  here- 
after sit  down  in  the  presence  of  Jesus,  and  join  the 
myriads  in  heaven,  redeemed  by  your  instrumentality,  in 
their  everlasting  song,  “ Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was 
slain  ! ” And  then,  although 

“ The  glittering  stars  shall  cease  to  burn. 

The  sun  forsake  his  golden  urn ; 

This  earth,  these  heavens  be  swept  away, 

The  splendid  pageant  of  a day  ; 

Yet  will  the  Eternal  wake  to  birth 
More  radiant  heavens,  a fairer  earth, 

Whose  lustre  shall  admit  no  shade, 

Where  lasting  bloom  shall  never  fade.” 


ANNUAL  MEETING. 


The  Palestine  Missionary  Society  held  its  Twentieth  Anni- 
versary in  the  Second  Parish  in  Abington,  June  17,  1840.  Deacon 
Morton  Eddy  presided.  Rev.  R.  S.  Storrs,  D.  D.  preached  on 
Ps.  xxii.  27.  A letter  from  Rev.  Daniel  Temple  to  the  Society 
was  read  by  the  Secretary.  The  Treasurer’s  report  and  the  Auditor’s 
certificate  were  read  and  accepted.  Addresses  were  made  by  Henry 
Hill,  Esq.,  Treasurer  of  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for 
Foreign  Missions,  and  Rev.  Messrs.  Huntington  and  Hitchcock; 
and  a collection  was  taken  in  aid  of  the  Society’s  funds.  Rev.  Mr. 
Ward  was  chosen  to  preach  the  next  annual  sermon,  and  Hanover 
was  designated  as  the  place  of  meeting.  Thanks  were  voted  to 
Rev.  Dr.  Storrs  for  his  able  and  appropriate  sermon  — to  II.  Hill, 
Esq.  for  his  attendance  and  assistance  — to  Rev.  Daniel  Thomas 
and  his  Society  for  their  Christian  hospitality  — and  to  the  choir 
of  singers  for  their  acceptable  services  on  the  occasion. 

The  following  officers  were  chosen  for  the  current  year : 


Vice  Presidents. 


Rev.  DANIEL  THOMAS,  President. 

Dea.  MORTON  EDDY, 

Mr.  JOSIAII  KINGMAN, 

Rev.  JONAS  PERKINS,  Secretai-y. 
EBENEZER  ALDEN,  M.  D.,  Treasurer. 
SILAS  PAINE,  Esq.,  Auditor. 


LETTER  FROM  MR.  TEMPLE. 


Smyrna,  Jan.  25,  1840. 


To  the  Palestine  Missionary  Society  : 

Beloved  Brethren  and  Friends, — It  is  a long  time,  too 
long  indeed,  since  I have  had  the  pleasure  of  writing  to  you  or 
of  receiving  any  communication  from  you.  These  many  years  of 
separation,  however,  I feel  assured,  have  not  diminished  the  af- 
fectionate mutual  interest  which  we  feel  for  each  other,  nor  have 
they,  as  I trust,  abated  our  love  to  the  sacred  cause  which  is  so  dear 
to  us  all. 

The  times  that  have  gone  over  us,  since  I last  wrote  you,  have 
made  great  and  wonderful  changes  in  the  affairs  of  this  world,  and 
great  changes  in  many  of  our  families.  Many  of  those  who  were 
with  you  at  the  formation  of  this  Society,  are  now  gone  to  the  rest 
that  remains  for  the  people  of  God,  the  rest  that  is  glorious.  They 
are  blessed,  indeed,  and  their  works  will  doubtless  follow  them.  In 
these  parts  of  the  world,  since  I came  here,  eighteen  years  ago,  the 
most  surprising  changes  have  taken  place.  The  high  and  lofty  One, 
the  great  Ruler  of  the  world,  seems  to  have  arisen  up  from  his  throne 
in  the  heavens,  and  lifted  up  his  awful  and  majestic  voice,  and 
stretched  out  his  mighty  arm,  to  shake  the  heavens,  the  earth,  the 
sea,  and  the  dry  land ; and  this  mighty  shaking  seems  plainly  to 
signify  the  removing  of  those  things  that  are  shaken  as  of  things 
that  are  made,  that  those  things  which  cannot  be  shaken  may 
remain.  The  Lord  has  stretched  forth  his  arm,  and  who  shall  turn 
it  back  ? he  has  begun  his  great  work,  and  he  will  neither  be  faint 
nor  weary,  nor  will  he  fail  till  it  be  accomplished  in  his  own  good 
time.  His  counsel  w7ill  stand. 

The  events  of  the  last  year  in  this  empire  have  rendered  it 
memorable  beyond  any  of  the  years  that  have  gone  before  it.  Its 
sovereign  has  been  laid  in  the  dust,  its  army  has  been  almost 
annihilated,  and  its  fleet  betrayed  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 
This  empire,  once  so  mighty,  that  made  the  earth  tremble  and  shook 


32 


kingdoms,  that  made  the  world  as  a wilderness,  and  destroyed  cities, 
and  opened  not  the  house  of  its  prisoners,  is  now  become  weak  and 
powerless.  It  feels,  and  its  rulers  feel  and  acknowledge  its  im- 
potence. So  deeply  do  its  rulers  feel  this,  that  they  have  recently 
framed  and  published  throughout  the  empire,  in  the  most  solemn 
and  imposing  manner,  the  basis  of  an  entirely  new  code  of  laws, 
perfectly  at  variance  with  all  the  most  ancient  and  established  usages. 
They  have  placed  all  the  subjects  of  the  empire  on  an  equal  footing, 
thus  abolishing  the  ancient  and  odious  distinction  between  the  Jew, 
the  Christian,  and  the  Turk  or  Mussulman,  a distinction  enforced  by 
the  Koran  as  one  of  its  most  prominent  features,  and  they  have 
pledged  themselves  not  to  stop  at  the  beginning,  but  to  move  on  in 
the  path  of  reform.  They  are  urged  to  this  by  the  force  of  circum- 
stances, which  it  seems  impossible  for  them  either  to  control  or  to 
resist.  The  feeling  seems  to  prevail  among  the  people  to  a great 
extent,  that  the  end  of  Islamism  is  near  at  hand,  that  its  glory  is 
gone  forever.  It  is  now  the  1255th  year  of  the  Mohammedan  era, 
according  to  their  reckoning.  The  most  able  interpreters  of  prophecy 
teach  us  to  expect  the  utter  overthrow  of  the  false  prophet’s  im- 
posture at  the  end  of  12G0  years.  It  is  not  for  us,  however,  to  know 
the  times  and  seasons  which  the  Father  has  put  in  his  own  power; 
but  it  seems  impossible  that  any  devout  Christian  can  mark  these 
signs  of  the  times  without  feeling  that  the  time  of  the  end  is  rapidly 
drawing  nigh,  the  end  of  the  Mohammedan  abomination,  which  has 
made  such  desolations  in  the  earth.  We  cannot  but  hail  all  these 
striking  movements  as  so  many  encouraging  indications  that  the 
way  of  the  Lord  is  being  prepared,  that  the  gospel  will  at  a future, 
and  we  trust  not  a distant  day,  have  free  course  and  be  glorified  in 
Turkey  and  throughout  the  East,  as  it  is,  and  even  more  than  it  now 
is,  among  you. 

Comparing  the  state  of  all  these  countries  with  what  it  was 
twenty  years  ago,  the  schools  that  have  been  opened,  the  many 
thousands  of  Bibles  and  the  many  millions  of  pages  of  excellent 
Christian  books  printed  and  circulated  and  read  in  various  languages, 
the  Christian  sermons  that  have  been  delivered,  the  religious  con- 
versations had  with  the  young  and  the  old  — we  cannot  but  be 
encouraged  by  observing  how  great  is  the  change.  Then  almost 
no  valuable  elementary  or  religious  books  could  be  found,  for  there 
were  none;  but  now  they  are  within  the  reach  of  every  one  who 
chooses  to  possess  them.  It  is  true  that  of  late  violent  opposition 
has  been  made  to  our  feeble  efforts  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the 
people  by  the  ecclesiastical  rulers  of  the  Greek  and  Armenian 
churches;  but  this  is,  as  we  couceive,  an  omen  for  good,  indicating 


33 


that  the  progress  of  the  truth  among  their  people  threatens  the 
subversion  of  that  ecclesiastical  power  which  the  rulers  have  so 
long  abused.  The  glorious  light  of  divine  truth  is  breaking  in  on 
all  sides,  and  they  cannot  shut  it  out.  They  have  tried  various 
methods,  but  all  have  proved  vain.  As  the  power  of  the  civil  rulers 
of  this  empire  is  almost  gone,  so  the  influence  of  the  spiritual  rulers 
is  fast  vanishing  away.  Still,  however,  the  public  mind  is  very  far 
from  being  enlightened;  the  people  are  still  in  great  darkness ; the 
real  import  of  the  gospel  is  little  understood,  and  the  power  of  pure 
and  undefiled  religion  is  almost  unfelt.  But  there  is  the  beginning 
of  a better  state  of  things,  which  gives  us  cause  to  thank  God  and 
take  courage. 

The  general  expectation  among  the  children  of  Israel  is,  that 
Messiah  will  come  this  year.  The  Greeks  too  anticipate  great 
events  this  year.  But  while  they,  both  the  one  and  the  other,  are 
imagining  a vain  thing,  let  us  have  faith  in  God,  who  has  declared 
that  as  he  lives  the  whole  earth  shall  be  filled  with  his  glory.  Let 
us  be  numbered  among  those  who  have  borne  and  had  patience,  and 
for  Christ’s  sake  have  labored  and  not  fainted.  Let  us  see  to  it  that 
He  find  no  cause  to  say  to  us,  I have  somewhat  against  you  because 
ye  have  left  your  first  love.  We  must  be  like  the  husbandman  who 
waits  for  the  precious  fruit  of  the  earth  and  has  long  patience  for  it 
till  he  receive  the  early  and  the  latter  rain.  Let  us  not  be  weary  in 
well  doing,  for  in  due  season  we  shall  reap  if  we  faint  not.  It  is 
our  privilege  to  sow,  and  if  it  be  not  the  will  of  God  that  we  should 
live  to  reap,  this  privilege  will  doubtless  be  given  to  others,  and  so 
the  sowers  and  the  reapers  will  rejoice  together.  Let  us  see  to  it 
that  all  our  works  be  done  heartily  as  to  the  Lord,  that  the  love  of 
Christ  constrain  us  in  all  we  do.  Then  God  will  glorify  his  holy 
name  by  us  and  in  us  again  and  again,  and  at  the  end  we  shall 
receive  a full  and  glorious  reward  in  his  dear  Son. 

I remain,  dear  brethren  and  friends,  most  truly  yours, 

D.  TEMPLE. 


5 


34 


TREASURER’S  REPORT. 


Receipts  from  June  , 1839,  to  June  17,  1840. 


Abington,  First  Parish,  Gent.  $60  29  ; do.  $95  37  ; La.  $51,  . $146  66 

“ South  Parish,  Gent  $48  90  ; La.  $30  36  ; Mon.  Con.  $9,  88  26 

“ East  Parish,  Gent  $17  81  ; La.  $16  50;  La.  Sewing  Cir- 
cle, $10,  .44  31 

Braintree,  First  Parish,  La.  $70;  Mon.  Con.  $31  ; Friend  in  Nor- 
folk Co.  $50, 171  00 

“ South  Parish,  Collection,  Gent,  and  La.  $40  04;  Mon. 

Con.  $25  23,  . . . . . . . 65  27 

Bridgewater,  Rev.  K.  Gay's  Soc.,  Collection,  Gent,  and  La.  $10; 

Mon.  Con.  $i3  50 ; do.  $11,  . . . . . 34  50 

East  and  West  Bridgewater,  Kvang.  Soc.,  Gent,  and  La.  $95  44; 

Mon.  Con.  $42;  do.  $16  50,  .....  153  94 

Hanover,  Gent  $6;  La.  $6;  Mon.  Con.  $25,  . . . . 37  00 

Hanson,  Mon.  Con.  $25;  do.  $19  36;  Individ.  $1,  . . . 45  36 

North  Bridgewater,  First  Parish,  Gent.  $27;  do.  $120  20;  La. 

$51  75;  do.  $30  28;  Mon.  Con.  $12,  . 21123 

“ South  Parish,  Gent.  $13  76  ; La.  $17  62;  La.  Benevolent 

Soc.,  $11;  Mon.  Con.  $15  23, 57  61 

North  Middleboro' , Collection,  Gent  and  La.,  . . . . 23  00 

Quincy,  Evangelical  Soc.,  Gent  and  La.,  . . . . . 13  54 

Randolph,  First  Parish,  Gent.  pt.  $36  75;  La  $31  12;  Mon.  Con. 

$59  47;  La.  Benevolent.  Society,  $10,  . . . 137  34 

“ East.  Parish,  Gent.  $54  12 ; La.  $37  96 ; Mon.  Con. 

$35  58 127  66 

Weymouth,  North  Parish,  Collection,  Gent,  and  La.  $83;  do.  $72 

16;  Mon.  Con.  $12  69,  ......  167  85 

“ South  Parish,  Individ.  $5;  Female  Praying  Soc.,  $15; 

Female  Charitable  Soc.  $16  70;  La  $28  30;  Mon. 

Con  $28  ; do.  $20,  . _ 113  00 

Weymouth  and  Braintree  Union  Society,  Mon.  Con.  $36  26;  La. 

$19;  Gent,  and  La.  $68  29  ; Neighborhood  Mon.  Con. 

$40  31  ; do.  and  Collection,  $45  21 , ....  209  07 


$1,876  60 

EBENEZER  ALDEN,  Treasurer. 
Note. — The  wliolo  amount  collected  since  tho  formation  of  the  Society,  is  §22,950  65. 

Having  examined  the  accounts  of  the  Treasurer  of  the  Palestine  Mission- 
ary Society,  I find  them  rightly  cast  and  properly  vouched. 

SILAS  PAINE,  Aoditor. 


June  17, 1840. 


35 


LIFE  MEMBERS. 


Rev.  Lucius  Alden. 

Mrs.  Clarissa  Alden. 

Mr.  Henry  Alden. 

Mrs.  Charlotte  Alden. 

Miss  Cinda  Bass. 

Rev.  David  Brigham. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Brigham. 

Miss  Molly  Barstotv. 

*Rev.  Josiah  Bent. 

Mrs.  Paulina  Bent. 

Mrs.  Abigail  Brown. 

Mrs.  Huldah  Bales. 

Mrs.  Betsey  Burrell. 

Mrs.  Jonathan  Baxter. 

Dea.  Edward  Cobb. 

Mrs.  Mary  Codmnn. 

Mrs.  Abigail  Cushing. 

Rev.  Philip  Colby. 

Mrs.  Eliza  Colby. 

Mrs.  Mary  Crafts. 

Miss  Rachel  Cushing. 

Rev.  Paul  Couch. 

Mrs.  Hariiel  T.  Couch. 

Rev.  \V.  M.  Cornell. 

Mrs.  Betsey  Dyer. 

Miss  Balhsheba  Dawes. 

Rev.  A.  G.  Duncan. 

Rev.  Elijah  Dexter. 

♦Mr.  Jacob  Fullerton. 

M iss  Mercy  Ford. 

Mrs.  Jane  Gurney. 

Mr.  Ephraim  \V.  Gurney. 

Mr.  Jacob  llearsey. 

Rev.  F.  P.  Howland. 

Mrs.  Deborah  Howland. 

Mrs.  Harriet  Howe. 

♦Mrs.  Mary  Hallam  Huntington. 
♦Mrs.  Alma  Huntington. 

Rev.  Calvin  Hitchcock. 


Mrs.  Elizabeth  Hitchcock. 
Mrs.  Mr  hetable  Hunt. 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Hayward. 
Miss  Tiizali  Howard. 
Rev.  Paul  Jewett. 

Mrs.  Grace  Jewett. 

Mrs.  Hannah  King. 

Mrs.  Lydia  Keith. 

"Gen.  Shepherd  Leach. 
Mis.  Pliehe  Leach. 

Mr.  Cyrus  Lathrop. 

Mrs.  Abigail  W.  Lathrop. 
Miss  Mary  Little. 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Leach. 

Mrs.  Ebenezer  Leach. 
•Eliphalel  Loud,  Esq. 

Mr.  James  Littlefield. 

Rev.  Wales  Lewis. 

Mrs.  Ann  Merrill. 

Mr.  Jonathan  Newcomb. 
Mrs.  Sarah  Noyes. 

Miss  Abigail  Neal. 

Mrs.  Mary  Noyes. 

Mrs.  Hannah  Noyes. 

Mrs.  Rebecca  Nash. 

$Iiss  Hannah  \V.  Noyes. 
Mr.  John  L.  Noyes. 

Mr.  Eliab  M Noyes. 

♦.Mrs.  Mary  Niles. 

Miss  Clarissa  Niles. 

Mr.  Josiah  E.  Noyes. 
Moses  Noyes,  Esq. 

Sirs.  Olive  Nash. 

Mrs.  Hannah  E.  Nash. 
Miss  Clarissa  Alden  Nash. 
Miss  Olive  P.  Noyes. 

M:sS  Anna  E.  Novi  s. 

Miss  Mehetable  W.  Nash. 
Miss  Susan  P.  Noyes. 


36 


Mrs.  Thankful  Pralt. 

Mrs.  Rhoda  Perkins. 

Rev.  Phillips. 

Mrs. Phillips. 

Dea.  Isaac  Reed. 

Mrs.  Nancy  Reed. 

Mrs.  Olive  Reed. 

Mrs.  Mary  Reed. 

Rev.  Richard  S.  Storrs. 
#Mrs.  Harriet  Slorrs. 

Rev.  Luther  Sheldon. 

Mrs.  Sarah  Sheldon. 

Mrs.  Joanna  Strong. 

Rev.  Ethan  Smith. 

Mrs.  Haihsheba  Smith. 
Miss  Julietta  Sylvester. 
Rev.  Samuel  Spring. 

Mrs.  Maria  Spring. 

Mrs.  Abigail  Smith. 

Rev.  Luke  A.  Spofford. 
Mrs.  Mary  H.  Shedd. 
Rev.  Ilaalis  Sanford. 

Mrs.  Baalis  Sanford. 

Mrs.  Ann  Slorrs. 

Ilev.  Daniel  Thomas. 
Miss  Mehetahle  Torrey. 
Rev.  Daniel  Temple. 
*Mrs.  Daniel  Temple. 
♦William  Torrey,  Esq. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Torrey. 
Rev.  Tyler  Thatcher. 
Rev.  William  Tyler. 

Mrs.  Martha  Ely  Temple. 


Mrs.  Nancy  W.  N.  Tyler. 
Mrs.  i’hebe  Veazie. 

Mrs.  Mary  Wales. 

Dea.  Eleazer  Whitman. 
♦Miss  Charily  Whitmarsh. 
Mrs.  Susanna  Whitman. 
*Mr.  Nathaniel  Wales. 

Mr.  Daniel  Whitman. 

Mrs.  Mary  Whitman. 

Miss  Abigail  Whitman. 

Mrs.  Abigail  Whitman. 

Mrs.  Rachel  Whitman. 

Rev.  M.  G.  Wheeler. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  M.  Wheeler. 
Mr.  Eleazer  Whitman,  Jr. 
Rev.  C.  J.  Warren. 

Mrs.  C.  W.  Warren. 

Rev.  James  W.  Ward. 

Rev.  Moses  Welsh. 

Mrs.  Mary  Whilmarsh. 

Hon.  Jared  Whitman. 

Mrs.  Hella  L.  Ward. 

M iss  Harriet  Whitman. 

Miss  Abby  Whitman. 

Miss  Susan  Ann  W'hitman. 
Miss  Hannah  P.  Whitman. 
Mrs.  Jennet  Whitman. 

Miss  Mary  J.  Whitman. 

Mr.  Eleazer  Whitman,  3d. 
Mr.  Asa  T.  Whitman. 

Mr.  Moses  N.  \\  hitman. 
Miss  Grinda  11.  Whitman. 


